Mitten



Aug. 28, 1956 J. DE GRAZIA MITTEN- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, l955 Dcfi ngia 6M ATTORNEY Aug. 28, 1956 J. DE GRAZIA MITTEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1955' INVENTOR I Qfosqvk MITTEN .loseph De Grazia, Washington, D. C., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application February 24, 1955, Serial No. 490,440 7 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-15s S (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to gloves and mittens, and more particularly to gloves and mittens suitable for use a in extremes of temperature to protect the hands of the user from such temperature extremes while permitting dexterous use of tools, implements and the like.

Heretofore, gloves and mittens designed for use in extremes of temperature relied upon thick or multi-ply linings, or equivalent padding to provide the desired pro-- tection against temperature extremes with the result that the use of the hands and fingers was greatly impeded. In some cases, separate inner and outer gloves were worn, the outer gloves beingremoved to permit the dexterous handling of implements with the thin inner gloves, but while dexterity was obtained by this method, the wearers hands were not adequately protected from temperature extremes by the inner gloves. 1 An important object of the present invention is the provision of a mitten or glove which will adequately protect the wearers hands while permitting deft use of the hands and some at least of the fingers, including finger tips, so that useful and even precise work may be done without removing the mitten or glove.

V Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a similar sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 1, a

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view onthe line 66 of Figure 5, a 1

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the mitten showing it balled into a fist to protect the hand of the wearer,

Figure 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the front or palm portion of the mitten is formed, and

Figure 9 is a similar view of the blank forming the liner for such palm portion of the mitten.

7' United States Patent O ll illustrated in Figure 9;; The blanks 10 and 11 are stitched together alongaupper horizontal line 12' spaced In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is illustrated as applied to a mitten having the thumb and index fingers formed separately from the main finger receiving portion of the mitten. Ob-

viously, however, the invention may be applied to mittens or gloves having more or even all of the fingers formed separately, although the type of mitten illustrated ispreferred because it affords better protection for the fingers. The palm or front portion of the mitten is formed by the outer blank 10 shown in Figure 8 and by the liner blank av substantial distance-below the top of the blanks, along the bottom line 13 inclined from the horizontal and spaced a substantial distance above the lower edges of the blanks,

along a substantially vertical line 14'spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the side edges of the blanks and connecting the ends of lines of stitching 12 and 13, and

lastly along a vertical line 15 which forms a substantial continuation of the edge of the main finger portion ofthe' mitten blank nearest the portion 16 of the blank forming thefront of the index finger portion of the blank 10. By reference to Figures 1 and 8, it will be seen that the lines of stitching 12, 13, 14, and 15, form a generally' trapezoidal figure closed on all sides. The blank 10 may be of any suitable material but is preferably of a good wearing material such as leather, and the liner blank' may be of the same material or some suitable fabric if desired. Atab 17 is formed on the lower edge of the finger piece 16 and is adapted to be folded up to form the inner portion of the mitten thumb. It will be seen that the liner blank 11 has the same general configuration as the main portion of blank 10 Without the finger and thumb tabs 16 and blank 10.

The back of the hand portion of the mitten is best seen in Figures 2 and 4, and may comprise an outer water repellent nylon fabric blank having a main finger portion 18 and an index finger portion 19. The back portion 18 is stitched along its outer edge and top edge at 20 to'the. correspondingedges of the palm blank 10, while the back portion 19 is stitched along its outerpand top edges at 21.

to the finger tab 16 of blank 10. A fourchette 22 isfarranged between the index finger portion of the mitten andthe main'finger portion thereof and connects the corresponding portions of the palm blank 10 and the back portion 18 and 19, being best seen in Figures 6 and 3.

A back liner section 23 of material similar to that of blank 18 is shaped similarly to the back section 18 and 19,

although of slightly smaller size, and is connected to thepalm liner 11 along its top and'outer edge at 24, to the fourchette and back section 18 along its inner edge, to the outer and top edges of the finger section 16 or section 19 as desired, and to the fourchette and back section 19-along the inner edge of the index finger portion of the'mitten, As illustrated in sectional Figures 4, 5, and 6,

these connections of the blanks produce a spaced doublewall construction covering the entire back of the hand and index finger portion of the mitten and extending over the top and outer edge of themainfinger portion of the mitten to the trapezoidal lines of stitching 12, 13, and 14.

The outer or back portion of the thumb is formed by an outer blank 25 and a spaced inner somewhat smaller blank 26 both of which are secured to the edges of the thumb tab 17 as indicated by the line of stitching 27; T he'thumb blanks 2S and 26 are stitched to the inner edges of section 19 and liner 23 along the seam 28,. and also along their other edges to the inner edges. of the palm blanks 10 and 11 by seam 29. The spaced double-wall construction of the back or outside of the thumb is separated fromthe' space between the liner and outer sections of the back of the mittens and the lower palm section thereof by the closed seams 28 and 29 so that any stuffing or padding The gauntlet portion of the mitten has a front panel.

30 of suitable material such as poplin which is provided with a lining 31 of some suitable material such as nylon.

A back gauntlet panel 32 has asimilar lining 33. j The lined panels 30 and32 are stitched together along'their' side edges at 34 and are turned over at their lower ends I to form a band 35 for the reception of a suitable. elastic Patented Aug. 28, 1956 17, and is slightly smaller than.

tape or cord. The side edges of the gauntlet flare outwardly from'the band to a wide point adjacent their connection with the lower end of the mitten but spaced therefrom, and from the wide point are cut sharply back to a wrist portion of substantially the same size as the lower portion of the mitten. The gauntlet and mitten are secured together in such fashion that the material of mitten and gauntlet overlap a substantial distance and are secured by spaced rows of stitching 36 which produce a hollow Wrist band 37 which may be stuffed or padded. An adjusting strap 38 extends across the back of the gauntlet adjacent wrist band 37 and passes through a suitable buckle 39 in the usual manner for tightening the gauntlet about the 'wrist of the wearer. l

Rows of stitching 4t) define pockets 41 between the panels 30 and 32 and their respective linings 31 and 33. The pockets 41 are superposed in the front and rear panels and extend from the wristband 37 to a point spaced asubstantial distance above the lower band 35. As clear- 1y illustrated'in Figures 1 and 2, pockets 41 are almost coextensive in width with the wrist portion of the gauntlet at the band 37 although slightly narrower, and taper somewhat towards their lower ends.

The pockets 4-1 are filled with a suitable padding or stufiing material which is sealed into the pockets by the'stitching of the wrist band 37. The spaces formed by the double-wall construction of the back of the mitten, the back of the thumb, and that portion of the palm of the glove exteriorly of the trapezoid formed by the stitchingrows' 12, 13, 14, and are also filled with padding or stuifing material. Any suitable stufiing material may be used, and a mixture of 50% down feathers and 50% chicken feathers has been found to be satisfactory. The stuffing material, and mitten and gauntlet materials mentioned herein are intended to be illustrative only and obviously may be replaced by any materials suitable for the purpose. 7

As illustrated in Figure 4, the main finger portion of the mitten is padded everywhere except within the trapezoid formed by stitching lines 12, i3, 1 and 15 which is of two ply construction with no padding between the plies. The index finger and thumb are padded on their backs but their single ply fronts are unpadded, as seen .in Figure 5. The wrist band 37 and pockets 41 are the only portions of the gauntlet which are padded, the remainder of the gauntlet being two-ply unpadded construction.

In use, the flared gaunt-let easily fits over thick coat sleeves, the elastic band keeping it snugly in place. The

padded pockets 41 protect the wearers Wrist at front and rear, and when the adjusting strap 38 is tightened, the narrow wrist portion of the gauntlet is 'drawn tightly about the wrist with the result that the upper side edges of the pockets 41 are drawn together so that the two pockets 41 protect substantially the entire wrist.

The single-ply fronts or inside surfaces of the index finger. and thumb permit free use of thesefingers and finger tips so that precise workmay be done, tools readily handled and instruments and the like handled With a sufficient touch or feel to permit accurate and precise manipulation without removing the mitten. The twoply unpadded construction of the portion of the palm within the stitched trapezoid permits easy gripping of objects in the palm ofthe hand.

An important feature of the present invention is the 'arr'angement'ofpadded palm section areas outside of the stitched trapezoid, which includes the padded upper portron of the main finger portion of the mitten, the padded outer side'edge of such'main finger portion including the 'palm, and the padded lower palm section.

With this construction, only the inner portions of the index finger and thumb, and that portion of the palm within the stitched trapezoid, are unpadded, and these areas can be readily protected by doubling up the fist as indicated in Figure 7 so that only padded portions of the mitten are exposed.

Consequently, while the portions of the mitten used forhandling objects with the touch or feel required for accurate manipulation are unpadded, such areas may be readily protected by padded portions without pulling on an outer mitten. In addition, when the hand is being used, the major portion of the wearers hand is fully protected at all times, in contrast to the use of an inner and outer glove where use of the inner glove for fine Work exposes'the entire hand.

Although the padded portions of the palm side of the mitten are shown as in communication with the padded fingers while protecting the hand from temperature extremes and'cornprising a main finger and pahn section, an index finger separated from the main finger receiving section, and a'thurnb section, the backs of all of said sections being padded, said thumb and index finger sections having their inner surfaces opposed and unpadded, the outer portions of the palm side of the main finger and palm'sectio'n being padded, whereby when the mittenis doubled into a fist substantially all of the unpadded portions of the mitten are covered and protected by the padded portions of the mitten.

2.'A mitten comprising a hand section'having its back portion padded, a gauntlet having a flared outer-portion and a restricted neck portion attached to the hand section of the mitten, a pad formed on'the rear of the gauntlet and extending from the neck portion a substantial distance towards the end of the gauntlet, said pad at its end nearest the gauntlet neck portion having a width slightly less than the width of said neck portion, the pad being centered on'the rear of the gauntlet with its side edges spaced from the side edges of the gauntlet, a similar pad disposed on the front side of the gauntlet, and an adjusting strap secured to the side edges of the neck portion of the gauntlet; said strap'being adjustable to tighten the neck portion'of the gauntlet about the wrist of the wearer, whereby the side edges of the front and rear gauntlet pads are'drawn towards each other so that the wearers wrist will be substantially surrounded by the two pads.

3. A mitten comprising a main finger and palm section, anindex finger separated from the main finger receiving section, and a thumb section, the backs of all of said sections-being padded, said thumb and index finger sections having their inner surfaces unpadded, the outer portions of the palm side of the main finger and palm section being padded, whereby when the mitten is doubled into a fist substantially all of the unpadded portions of the mitten are covered and protected by the padded portions of the mitten, a gauntlet having a neck secured to the mitten sections, pads disposed on the front and rear of the gauntletand extending from the neck thereof a substantial distance towards the end of the gauntlet, the neck of the gauntlet'having a width substantially greater than the Width of the pads, and an adjusting strap secured adjacent the side edges of the gauntlet neck, the strap being adjustable to tighten the neck portion of the gauntlet about the wrist of the wearer, whereby the side edges of the front and rear gauntlet pads are drawn towards each other so that the wearers wrist will be substantially surrounded by the two pads.

4. A mitten comprising a hand section having its back portion padded, agauntlet having a flared outer portion towards the end of the gauntlet, said pad at its end nearest the gauntlet neck portion having a width slightly less than the width of said neck portion, the pad being centered on the rear of the gauntlet with its side edges spaced from the side edges of the gauntlet, a similar pad disposed on the front side of the gauntlet, and an adjusting strap secured to the side edges of the neck portion of the gauntlet, said strap being adjustable to tighten the neck portion of the gauntlet about the wrist of the wearer, whereby the side edges of the front and rear gauntlet pads are drawn towards each other so that the Wearers wrist will be substantially surrounded by the two pads, the end of the gauntlet remote from its neck portion being folded upon itself to form an annular band, and an elastic tape disposed in said band, whereby the gauntlet band will be drawn tightly about the arm of the weaner.

5. In a mitten, an outer palm section comprising a palm and main finger portion, an index finger formed on the side of the palm and having a depending tab adapted to be bent upwardly to form the inside of the thumb, a palm liner generally corresponding in shape to the palm and main finger portion of the outer palm section without the index finger and thumb tab, the palm liner and outer palm section being stitched together adjacent their center portions to provide open pockets about parts of said center portions, a back section having a main portion secured about its edges to the outer palm section and having an index finger portion secured about its edges to the index finger portion of the palm section, a back liner section having a main portion secured about its edges to the palm liner section and having an index finger portion secured about its edges to the index finger portion of the outer palm section, a thumb back section and thumb liner secured about their edges to the thumb tab of the palm section, to the side edges of the back section and back liner and to the side edges of the palm section and palm liner, and padding material disposed between the back section and its liner, between the thumb back section and its liner, and within the pockets about the stitched center portion of the palm section and its liner, whereby the inner surfaces of the index finger and thumb and said central portion of the palm of the mitten are unpadded.

6. In a mitten, an outer palm section comprising a palm and main finger portion, an index finger formed on the side of the palm and having a depending tab adapted to be bent upwardly to form the inside of the thumb, a palm liner generally corresponding in shape to the palm and main finger portion of the outer palm section without the index finger and thumb tab, time palm liner and outer palm section being stitched together adjacent their center portions to provide open pockets about parts of said center portions, a back section having a main portion secured about its edges to the outer palm section and having an index finger portion secured about its edges to the index finger portion of the palm section, a back liner section having a main portion secured about its edges to the palm liner section and having an index finger portion secured about its edges to the index finger portion of the outer palm section, a thumb back section and thumb liner secured about their edges to the thumb tab of the palm section, to theside edges of the back section and back liner and to the side edges of the palm section and palm liner, and padding material disposed between the back section and its liner, between the thumb back section and its liner, and within the pockets about the stitched center portion of the palm section and its liner, whereby the inner surfaces of the index finger and thumb and said central portion of the palm of the mitten are unpadded, said open pockets between the palm section and palm liner being in communication with the padding space between the back section and its liner, 2. gauntlet for said mitten, and a padded band connecting the gauntlet with the mitten sections.

Orsini Oct. 6, 1936 Tausch Apr. 21, 1953 

